Canley Dates
by MissAmyR92
Summary: My first ever piece of fan fiction, not my finest piece but I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. Sam/Phil pairing - with an unusual twist!
1. Sam

**Canley Dates**

"Sam, we still on for tonight, yeah?" Jo popped her head round the door of Sam's office as she done up her coat, ready to leave.

"Yeah, course. Wouldn't miss it for the world!" Sam said from behind a mountain of paperwork.

Jo laughed. "No offence Sam, but you look like you could do with a drink or three!"

"Well thanks a bunch!" Sam replied jokingly. "Now you get off home, I expect to be greeted with a drink as soon as I ring your doorbell!" Sam laughed.

"Your wish is my command!" Jo smiled and began to walk towards the exit of CID. "See you Guv!" Jo laughed, knowing Sam hated being called that.

"O, less of the Gus!" Sam called out as she heard the doors slam shut and there was complete silence in CID.

Sam had had enough of paperwork. That's all she seemed to be doing at the moment; sitting in the briefing room, interviewing endless amounts of people, then being lumbered with all the paperwork afterwards. It's a never ending cycle.

Sam got up and went to get a coffee from the machine. She had to admit, it tasted awful, but it was better than nothing. Sam came back to her office to try and finish off her paperwork, but got distracted by the sound of children playing happily outside. She got up to watch and got lost in her own thoughts.

_I'm always the last one left in the office. I'm too soft, always agreeing to do other people's paperwork for them. Probably because they all have families to go home to and I don't! Cooking a microwave meal for one, then sitting down with a large brandy and watching Corrie. It's not much of a life is it?_

_Hey, what are you thinking Sam? You're going to have a great time at Jo's. A whole night of watching films, drinking and gossiping with your best mate; what could be better? _

_Jo's been there for me a lot recently. It used to be Phil, the one who'd be my shoulder to cry on, the one who'd cheer me up when I was feeling down. But I let him down. Our relationship hasn't been the same since we slept together in Romania. At the time, it felt so right. But now I know that I couldn't have been more wrong. It completely destroyed our friendship. Yes, I know, I was the one who initiated it, I was scared, I thought I was going to die! _

_It was all going well, I was the happiest I had been in a long time. But then... Phil said that he loved me. I mean, woah! Bolt from the blue springs to mind! Before that day I didn't think Phil knew what the word 'love' meant. I wasn't ready for such a big step. I'd been let down by men so many times in the past, I couldn't give my heart away to him to have it broken yet again. _

_Dumping Phil, seeing him look so heartbroken, was probably the worst mistake of my life, to be honest._

_If only things could go back to the way they were before..._


	2. Phil

Phil took one more look up at the window of Sam's office. He just wanted one more glance at her beauty before he went home. One more of her gorgeous smiles, one more look into her beautiful eyes. She wasn't at her window however. Phil sighed, got into his car, and drove off home.

He got to the end of Sun Hill Road when he noticed up ahead there were roadworks and a long line of cars at a stand still.

"Oh great, why am I always stuck in flaming' traffic jams?" Phil shouted while slamming his fist on the horn. Phil realised that shouting wasn't going to solve matters so he slumped back into his seat defeated.

Phil sat there drumming his fingers on the edge of the steering wheel subconsciously. As soon as he realised what he was doing he stopped. Sam had once said that that was his most annoying habit.

"Why does everything remind me of Sam?" Phil said to himself.

Bored of the silence that filled the air, Phil switched on the radio just in time to hear the ending of Robbie Williams' song 'She's the one.'

_If there's somebody, calling me on,_

_She's the one._

Phil thought about the rest of the song lyrics. They summed up his and Sam's relationship perfectly.

_Everything I do, even if it's something so small and pointless, it always goes back to Sam! I hadn't ever realised how lonely I was before until Sam came into my life. I miss being with her so much. I miss all the times she used to nick my toast in the mornings, how she'd sound so formal in texts, the drunken games of charades! Not that she'll admit playing them and me winning every time! Every day I wake up... expecting to see those gorgeous blue eyes looking down on me... then her sounding so sexy when she'd shout at me for being late! Every day... I'm disappointed. _

_If only things could go back to the way they were before..._


	3. At Jo's

Sam had been round Jo's house for a couple of hours now and they were both starting to feel the effects of the wine they had been drinking!

"I dare you..." Sam began through fits of laughter, "To... er... oh I can't think of a good dare! It's not fair!" Sam said pretending to sulk as Jo laughed.

"OK...my go." Jo said. "I dare you..." Jo started and then thought for a minute.

"See! You can't think of one either so there!" Sam shouted and poked her tongue out.

"No wait!" Jo shouted suddenly. "You're going to love this one!" Jo said with a smirk on her face.

"Did I ever tell you about how my sister Jane met her husband? Lovely man that Adrian. Did I tell you?" Jo asked.

"No..." Sam said slowly. "What's that got to do with this dare?" Sam asked confused.

"Well... Jane got dared by a couple of her friends to join an online dating agency. Jane refused but eventually her friends signed up for her. She started talking to this guy and they got on so well that they decided to meet. So one day, I went along with Jane to meet this mystery guy. A year or so later and they're married with a kid on the way!" Jo said.

"That's sweet. But I still don't get it.." Sam said with a puzzled look on her face.

"I want you to join one! And I'm not taking no for an answer come on!" Jo said, getting off of the sofa, dragging Sam along to the computer in the corner of the room.

"What?" Sam shouted. " No way! I am not joining an online dating agency! You can sign me up but I'm not going to talk to anyone on there!" Sam protested.

"Oh yes you are, or I'll tell Phil EVERYTHING you said about him..." Jo left her sentence hanging.

"No!" Sam shouted, a little too quickly. " Er... oh...do I have to? Can't you think of another dare?" Sam pleaded.

"Nope! No ifs, no buts, you have to do it!" Jo said looking at the sad look on Sam's face. "Look, it's flaming' obvious to everyone that you're not over Phil.."

"I am!" Sam argued, interrupting Jo.

"I know you Samantha Nixon and I can tell when you're lying. Maybe you'll meet some really nice guy to take your mind off of Phil yeah? Come on, if my sister can do it then you've got no trouble!" Jo laughed.

Sam smiled half heartedly. She knew Jo was right. She's wasn't over Phil, if she was honest, she loved him so much that it hurt.

Sam was aware that Jo was talking to her but she was too engrossed in her own thoughts to notice what she was saying.

"... and then I met some aliens and they took me to their leader for tea and cakes...SAM!" Jo shouted and Sam jumped. "Sam, I only want you to be happy, and I don't think that Phil is the one to do that. You need someone more reliable, trustworthy. You know what I mean yeah?" Sam nodded. "So... you going to do the dare?"

Sam weighed up her options. She knew Jo's forfeit would be a hell of a lot worse than the dare!

"Yeah... OK... I'll do it!"


	4. Junk Email?

Phil came out of his thoughts as he noticed that the traffic jam had cleared and there was a long queue of cars behind him, the owners slamming their fists down on their horns and making rude gestures at him.

"Yeah, alight! I'm going.. I'm gone!" Phil shouted as he released the hand break and sped off.

When he eventually got home after stopping at nearly every set of traffic lights in Sun Hill, Phil slumped back into his sofa and sighed. Phil suddenly realised that he didn't know why he had a sofa, seeing as he didn't need one as he lived alone. Sam hated the sofa too! It was " too uncomfortable" and " got to be at least 20 years old judging by the awful pattern." Phil laughed to himself slightly, although it was painful to think of the moments like that he and Sam had shared.

Phil switched on the telly and flicked through the channels. The options were either EastEnders or repeats of Only Fools And Horses; neither of which he wanted to watch. Letting out a deep sigh, Phil put the telly on standby and noticed how quiet the house was without the telly on.

Phil jumped out of his skin as he heard his phone beep and he looked to see that he had a text from one of his old mates from college, Gary.

_Al right mate, don't you ever read your emails? Sent you some jokes but some nice stuff too! How are you mate? How come you're never online any more? _

Phil smiled, got up and turned on the computer. Gary was right, he never was online any more. He hadn't touched the computer since before he was with Sam. He couldn't believe how he managed to live without Sam back then. He couldn't live without her now...

_You have 9 new emails in your inbox._

The message suddenly popped up and scared Phil out of his thoughts. Looking through the emails, he read the jokes from Gary, which would be great to tell on a lads night out, and then there was the usual junk emails.

_Win a Mini Cooper! Need a loan? _

"No I don't want a flaming loan!" Phil shouted at the screen. His eyes flitted across another email. Curious, he opened it.

_**Hi there!**_

_**Your friend has recommended as the ideal site to meet your match! We have over 2 million members so far, why not sign up and see who you might meet?**_

_**Give us a try, your first 3 months are free!**_

_**Click on the link below to sign up. Hope to see you soon!**_

_**The CanleyDates Team.**_

Phil thought about it for a moment. 'What have I got to lose?' He said to himself as he clicked on the link and joined.


	5. Handsome?

Sam was setting up her account and filling in her user name.

"Sarah Naylor? You little liar! " Jo said grinning.

"It's just a pseudonym, I..."

"A what? " Jo interrupted, a puzzled look on her face.

"Don't worry Jo." Sam replied, not taking her eyes off the screen as she filled in the rest of her details.

"Right... I'm logged in! " Sam said proudly. "Er... what do I do now?" Sam said tapping her nails on the mouse.

"Oh, give it 'ere!" Jo took the mouse off Sam and clicked on a chat room.

"That's a chat room right?" Sam checked.

"Right." Jo answered simply, clicking on members' profiles.

"So... you've got someone called Darren76 here..." Jo said scanning her eyes over his personal information. "Maybe he's a little young for you, sounds dull too!" Jo laughed. "Oh there's JohnnyB... oh God no he's 64! Dirty old man!" Jo said, making herself and Sam laugh.

A new member entered the room, PaulH. Jo clicked on his profile.

"Ah, I think we're in business! Even I think he sounds great and that's saying something! You are so talking to him! Ah he's only 32... get yourself a toy boy DI Nixon!" Jo laughed.

"Oh I don't know... I mean he's 3 years younger than Phil... I.." Sam hesitated.

"Too late!" Jo stated, typing hello to PaulH.

"What? No!" Sam said trying to stop Jo from typing but failing.

"Hello or hi? Or maybe hiya? Maybe not hiya... sounds a bit child-like." Jo thought.

"Sorry?" Sam asked, confused.

"How would you call to your Paul?" Jo said laughing at her own joke.

"He is NOT my Paul!" Sam said a little too loudly. "Not yet anyway.." Sam smirked mischievously as did Jo.

"That is fighting talk girl! You go get your man! I'll say hi. That sounds friendly, but still a little formal." Jo said typing.

Sam nodded, confused.

_SarahN: _Hi Paul.

_PaulH: _Well hello there gorgeous!

"Oh he's a charmer, this one!" Jo commented.

_SarahN: _How do you know I'm gorgeous?

_PaulH: _There's not a doubt in my mind that you ain't gorgeous babe!

"God, pass us a sick bowl please!" Jo mocked.

"Here, let me type!" Sam said as her and Jo swapped seats.

_SarahN:_ How are you?

_PaulH: _All the better for meeting you!

_SarahN: _I'm glad to hear it. What's the H for in your name?

_PaulH:_ Handsome, of course! What about the N in yours? I bet it's for naughty!

_SarahN: _No... it's for Never you mind!


	6. It's a date!

Sarah and Paul had been talking to one another for a few weeks now but it seemed like they had known each other for all of their lives. They'd talk every day without fail and always seemed to know when the other was online. It was now 6 weeks since they'd first became friends. Could they be more?

_SarahN: Do you know it's been 6 weeks since we first met? 6 weeks to the day!_

_PaulH: No way! Feels like we've been friends for years! No, more than friends... that's if... you'd like us to be...?_

Sam thought for a moment. She'd been getting on so well with Paul, she liked him. A lot. But she'd been let down by men umpteen times before. For starters there was Glen Weston, he was her childhood sweetheart, and look where that ended up. Then there was Peter Cavanaugh, Stuart Turner and of course Hugh Wallis. He'd abducted her daughter for goodness sake! She certainly hadn't see that coming. Sam's thoughts were interrupted by the bleeping sound indicating she had another message.

_PaulH: Sarah... please say something. Anything! Please._

_SarahN: Er...to be honest with you Paul... I really don't know that much about you. You're a great guy, wonderful in fact! But there's still so much that I need to know._

_PaulH: I know what you mean but the same goes for me too! It's all part of the fun Sarah. Say you'll give us a go? Come on, we both deserve a bit of fun!_

_SarahN: Yeah... you're right! I haven't had fun in a long while... so are you going to take me out then? On a proper date?_

_PaulH: Why of course! Where would Madame like to go?_

_SarahN: Surprise me!_

_PaulH: Alright then! I'll have a think about it. What day are you free?_

_SarahN: Ooh, I will have to check my diary!_

_PaulH: Well go on then!_

_SarahN: Right, how are you fixed for Friday?_

_PaulH: Well I'm going out to dinner with this gorgeous young lady..._

_SarahN: Ah, dinner is it? I'll look forward to it! What place? What time?_

_PaulH: I was thinking that new posh place in town... The Clock I think it's called... at say 7.30?_

_SarahN: The Clock? You'll need a loan to go in there! It costs a bomb!_

_PaulH: But you're worth it._

_SarahN: Thank you! You do say the nicest things._

_PaulH: Oh, so I'm told. See you at half 7 on Friday then!_

_SarahN: Yeah, it's a date! _


	7. All Glammed Up

It was Friday evening and Jo was helping Sam prepare for her date with PaulH.

"Hmm...Sam you can't wear a fluffy jumper! One, it's June for god's sake, and two, you look like you're going to Granny's, not on a hot date!"

"Oi! I like this jumper thank you very much!" Sam took the jumper off and threw it randomly into her walk-in wardrobe.

"You should treat your clothes with respect, young lady!" Jo said, laughing.

"God, you sound like my mother!" Sam laughed too.

As Jo was browsing through Sam's clothes, all carelessly thrown in to her wardrobe, Sam crept up behind Jo and gave her a gentle push so that she went flying to the back of the wardrobe and Sam quickly shut the doors on Jo and stood with her back against the door so Jo couldn't get out.

"What...? Sam you - argh!" Jo shouted as Sam laughed uncontrollably.

After a few minutes, until Sam couldn't hold the doors any longer, Sam opened them and Jo clambered out, tears of laughter streaming down Sam's cheeks.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny. But while was locked in your wardrobe, I found this lurking at the back." Jo said, holding up a beautiful black dress, which rested just above the knee, which was also low cut.

"Oh... no way! I'm too old to go round wearing stuff like that!" Sam remarked.

"You're never too old! If you've got it, flaunt it, that's what I say! And you've definitely got it." Jo laughed and Sam joined in.

"Seriously though, you'd look fabulous in that, Paul won't be able to resist! " Jo held the dress out to Sam as she considered it for a moment.

"Er...oh OK then! I'll try it on. But if I look like mutton dressed as lamb I'm taking it off! " Sam shouted, as she went to the bathroom to change.

"Don't be daft! " Jo smiled.

Five minutes later, Sam re-entered the room, she shrugged her shoulders slightly as if she was asking for Jo's opinion. Jo was completely lost for words.

"Well that's shut you up for once! " Sam joked, Jo threatening to throw a pillow at her.

"You look great Sam! Give us a hug." Jo said, wrapping her arms around her best mate.

"You go out there, and knock him dead yeah? If he's not in to you then he needs his head testing!"

"See you Jo!"

"Bye Sam."


	8. YOU!

Phil took one more look up at the window of Sam's office. He just wanted one more glance at her beauty before he went home. One more of her gorgeous smiles, one more look into her beautiful eyes. She wasn't at her window however. Phil sighed, got into his car, and drove off home.

He got to the end of Sun Hill Road when he noticed up ahead there were roadworks and a long line of cars at a stand still.

"Oh great, why am I always stuck in flaming' traffic jams?" Phil shouted while slamming his fist on the horn. Phil realised that shouting wasn't going to solve matters so he slumped back into his seat defeated.

Phil sat there drumming his fingers on the edge of the steering wheel subconsciously. As soon as he realised what he was doing he stopped. Sam had once said that that was his most annoying habit.

"Why does everything remind me of Sam?" Phil said to himself.

Bored of the silence that filled the air, Phil switched on the radio just in time to hear the ending of Robbie Williams' song 'She's the one.'

_If there's somebody, calling me on,_

_She's the one._

Phil thought about the rest of the song lyrics. They summed up his and Sam's relationship perfectly.

_Everything I do, even if it's something so small and pointless, it always goes back to Sam! I hadn't ever realised how lonely I was before until Sam came into my life. I miss being with her so much. I miss all the times she used to nick my toast in the mornings, how she'd sound so formal in texts, the drunken games of charades! Not that she'll admit playing them and me winning every time! Every day I wake up... expecting to see those gorgeous blue eyes looking down on me... then her sounding so sexy when she'd shout at me for being late! Every day... I'm disappointed. _

_If only things could go back to the way they were before..._


	9. Little White Lies

"YOU!"

"What...? No it can't be! What the hell are you doing on a dating site? You only have to walk into a room and you get offers left, right and centre!" Sam shouted.

"That's not me any more! Anyway, I could ask you the same question!" Phil retorted.

"One word : Jo. But I asked you first!" Sam replied childishly.

"Alright, alright. I got an email saying I'd been recommended by a friend or something."

Sam's eyebrows rocketed then fell.

"Jo!"

"I'll kill her!"

"Not if I kill her first!"

"So... Sarah...why Sarah Naylor anyway?" Phil asked.

"Just a pseudonym, first name I thought of really. Why Paul Harrison?"

"Same."

There was a moment's silence.

"I should have known! Phil Hunter, Paul Harrison, same initials. Ah another thing, your profile, if I remember rightly, which I always do, says you're 32! Pull the other one Phil!" Sam almost laughed.

"Well... there's no harm in telling a white lie every now and again is there?" Phil flashed his trademark grin as Sam fought the urge to return it.

"This is not funny you know!" Sam couldn't resist laughing.

"Well, seeing as the table's already booked..." Phil left his sentence hanging.

"What? You serious?" Sam laughed.

"Absolutely. The good thing that's come out of this is that we've found out that we actually have a lot more in common than we thought. So...allow me!" Phil said linking his arm with Sam's.

"Thank you."


	10. Happy ending!

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, I love you all! Hope you like this chapter. Amy x**

**Happy Ending.**

Phil and Sam had eaten their food and had been chatting away for hours, but it seemed like no time at all to the pair. They were both surprised that they'd been able to talk about anything. Music, films, food, their children, work hadn't even been mentioned once.

A waiter announced that the restaurant would be closing soon and Sam looked at her watch.

"It's almost midnight! We've been here for hours!" Sam couldn't believe it, neither could Phil.

"Come on, we'd better get you home." Phil said, standing up as Sam did the same. They linked arms and walked out to the car park.

There was a long pause as Sam and Phil stared in to each other's eyes, lost in the moment.

"I've had a great time tonight. I never thought I'd hear myself say I enjoyed spending time with Phil Hunter!" Sam laughed.

"No I never thought I'd be linking arms with Sam Nixon!" Phil then turned serious.

"What are you doing tomorrow evening?"

"Let me see, I think I might be spending it with somebody that's standing opposite me." Sam replied, leaning in to Phil and kissing him softly.

"I love you."

**Well that's all folks! ****A big thank you to everyone who has read this.**** Amy x**


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